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Sunday, apr 28
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John T. Adams
Police & Fire
Undercover Bust: 5 People Seeking Sex With Teens Met By Detectives In Berks County, DA Says
Five people seeking sex with teens have been arrested in an undercover Berks County sting, authorities said. All five individuals responded to an ad, posted on Monday, Jan. 19 by detectives, offering sex with 14- and 15-year-old juveniles at various locations in Berks County, the county district attorney's office announced. The individuals agreed to meet up and have sex with the "teens," but instead were met by detectives and promptly arrested, District Attorney John T. Adams said. The following arrests were made, according to Adams: Richard Keene, 70, of Reading, charged with Traff…
Police & Fire
29 Charged, $1.5 Million In Drugs Seized In Massive Berks County Raid: DA
Several dozen people face criminal charges and a purported $1.5 million in drugs have been seized as part of "Operation Knockout" in Berks County, according to District Attorney John T. Adams' Office. The operation targeted a "large-scale drug trafficking organization" based in and around Reading with alleged ties to "a Mexican cartel," said prosecutors. Police said they began investigating individual dealers in early 2023 but sought court approval for electronic surveillance after they "determined that these individuals were part of an even larger organization." …
Police & Fire
Fatal Police Shooting Of NJ Man Was 'Self-Defense,' Says Berks DA
No charges will be filed in connection with the killing of Vaughn T. Perkins, who was shot dead by a team of state and local police following a brief car chase in Berks County late last month. Perkins, 53, was pointing a "long rifle" at officers and "failed to comply" with demands when police fatally shot him in Wyomissing on March 30, claimed Berks County District Attorney John T. Adams in a release. "The officers and troopers involved were justified in employing deadly force (...) As a result, the officers and troopers will not be charged with any criminal offen…
Police & Fire
These Men Showed Up Hoping For Sex With Minors In Undercover OA Sting, Authorities Say
Authorities in Berks County have released mugshots of four of the eight men busted in an undercover operation for trying to have sex with children. The Berks County DA's Human Trafficking Task Force seeded advertisements across "websites commonly used for sex trade," offering "sexual relations with minors at a predetermined location in Berks County," prosecutors said in a release. Throughout the course of the two days, eight individuals showed up to the rendezvous site and were arrested, DA John T. Adams said. These suspects were arrested and charged with the followin…
Police & Fire
Berks Taxi Driver Killer Learns His Sentence
The Reading man who stabbed a cab driver to death will spend decades in a Pennsylvania state prison, authorities say. Johnny Palaguachi, 28, was sentenced to 20 to 40 years behind bars on Wednesday, March 15, said Berks County District Attorney John T. Adams in a statement. He had previously pleaded guilty to third-degree murder and abuse of a corpse, the DA's office noted. Investigators have said that on Aug. 8, 2021, Palaguachi called for a cab and was picked up by taxi driver Darlyn De La Rosa-Abreu. The pair got into a "verbal altercation" before Palaguachi attac…
Police & Fire
Eight Suspects Arrested In Berks County Human Trafficking Sting: DA
The Berks County District Attorney's Office reports eight arrests following a two-day human trafficking sting operation, officials announced. On Monday and Tuesday, March 13 and 14, the DA's Human Trafficking Task Force seeded advertisements across "websites commonly used for sex trade," offering "sexual relations with minors at a predetermined location in Berks County," prosecutors said in a release. Throughout the course of the two days, eight individuals showed up to the rendezvous site and were arrested, DA John T. Adams said. “The harsh reality is that human tra…
Police & Fire
Suspect Charged With 2016 Killing Of Berks Biker
Nearly seven years after the fact, a suspect is charged with the 2016 murder of a motorcyclist in Berks County, District Attorney John T. Adams announced. Darrell A. Johnson, a 37-year-old Pottstown resident, was charged with murder, robbery, aggravated assault, and related counts after he was taken into custody Tuesday, Feb. 28, the DA said. According to investigators, Johnson was responsible for the botched robbery that killed 28-year-old Michael Shields on Aug. 6, 2016. Prosecutors say Shields and his friend were on the 600 block of East Ben Franklin Highway in Amity Township…
Police & Fire
Trio Charged In Berks Teen's Fatal Shooting, DA Says
Three people were arrested in connection with the deadly shooting of Berks County teen in Reading earlier this year, authorities announced. Police were dispatched to Brookline Park on Meade Street and MacArthur Avenue just before 8 p.m. on March 14, as Daily Voice reported. There, officers found multiple gunshot victims, including 18-year-old Amiere T. Bibbs, who was declared dead at the scene. Three other teen victims aged 16 to 18 were rushed to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening wounds, police said at the time. The youths were students at Governor Mifflin School District, a…
Police & Fire
Fentanyl, Cocaine Worth $4.3M Seized In Takedown Of Massive PA Drug Ring, DA Says
Nearly thirty people are facing criminal charges after authorities dismantled a "large-scale" operation that trafficked drugs from Mexico and Puerto Rico to Pennsylvania, with nearly $4.3 million worth of fentanyl and cocaine seized as evidence, authorities said. In an early-morning roundup on Thursday, Dec. 1, a total of 22 adults were taken into custody, said Berks District Attorney John T. Adams and Montgomery District Attorney Kevin R. Steele in a joint statement. Posted by Berks County District Attorney on Thursday, December 1, 2022 Posted by Berks County District Attorney on T…
Police & Fire
Inmates Among 8 Busted In Drug Smuggling Ring: Berks DA
Eight people including four inmates have been charged in connection with a drug-smuggling operation at the Berks County Jail, authorities have announced. The arrests came after a months-long investigation uncovered a conspiracy between inmates and people outside the jail to smuggle in marijuana and Suboxone, an opioid withdrawal drug, said Berks County District Attorney John T. Adams. Investigators believe the incarcerated suspects — 41-year-old Brian Oliver, 30-year-old Bryan Williams, 32-year-old Thomas Reimert, and 38-year-old Andre Keyes — encouraged their contacts outsi…
Police & Fire
Gunman Wanted In Reading Homicide Nabbed In Puerto Rico
A 20-year-old Pennsylvania man was arrested in Puerto Rico Friday, Aug. 19 in connection with the killing of a Reading man last month, officials said. Luis Cepeda-Morales aka “Oriel" is accused of shooting Edwin Rivera-Valentin on the 400 block of Spring Garden Street on Sunday, July 31, Reading police said. Rivera-Valentin was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said. Cepeda-Morales was identified as the gunman and later charged with first and third-degree murder, aggravated assault and recklessly endangering another person. Berks County District Attorney John T. Adams has approve…
Police & Fire
PA Man Justified In Shooting, Killing Son Who Threatened Him With Knife, DA Says
A Pennsylvania man had no choice but to shoot his son who threatened him with a large knife, authorities in Berks County said. Alexis Martinez, 38, had been drinking when he threw a glass beer bottle at his dad and threatened him with a knife and another weapon inside a North Front Street home in Reading on Saturday, Aug. 13, Berks County District Attorney John T. Adams said. During the confrontation, the unidentified dad took out his firearm and shot his son, who had a history of assaultive behavior and mental health issues, the DA said. Officers were called to the scene around 9:15 a.m. …
Police & Fire
DNA Evidence Leads To Killer In 34-Year-Old Cold Case In Berks County
A now-deceased man has been identified as the suspect who killed a 26-year-old woman 34 years ago in Berks County, authorities said. With new advances in genetic genealogy, investigators were able to identify Scott Grim, who died of natural causes at the age of 58 in 2018, as the man who beat and strangled Anna Jean Kane to death and dumped her body alongside Ontelaunee Trail Road in Perry Township, Pennsylvania State Police said. She was last seen on Franklin Street and South 6th Street in Reading at around 1 a.m. Oct. 23, 1988, police said. The DNA evidence found on the Birdsboro wo…
Police & Fire
5 Arrested In Berks County After Complaints Of Drug Dealing
Complaints of drug dealing in a Berks County neighborhood led to the arrests of five people who were busted with heroin, crack cocaine, marijuana, prescription pills, and a gun, authorities said. Two investigations were launched in Reading earlier this year after there were repeated community complaints of drug dealing in the area, according to the Reading Police Department and the Berks County District Attorney's Office. The investigations led to the execution of two search warrants on Thursday, July 21 at homes on the 400 block of South 11th Street and the 1100 block of Cotton Street…
Police & Fire
Would-Be Catalytic Converter Thief Shot By Officer During Pursuit In Berks County: Police
A cop shot a would-be catalytic converter thief who led police on a chase through Berks County Thursday, July 14, authorities said. Officers responding to a theft call found Tyvan Barnett, 25, Ejau Collazo, 18, and one other man trying to steal catalytic converters from vehicles parked on the 200 block of South 5th Street in Reading, according to the Berks County District Attorney's Office. Cops spotted one of the men holding what appeared to be a saw or car jack before the trio fled in a black Honda Accord, authorities said. Officers pursued the sedan, but when the group refused…
Police & Fire
$30K Of Fentanyl, $60K Of Meth Seized In Berks Drug Bust
Thousands of dollars worth of fentanyl and methamphetamine along with a loaded firearm were seized from two men in a Berks County bust, authorities said. Kalif Pope and Rafael Rodriguez-Ventura became the center of an investigation in January, when authorities were tipped off to Pope allegedly selling "street level quantities of counterfeit prescription pills, suspected to be fentanyl, and cocaine" from his home in Reading, Berks County John T. Adams said. Rodriguez-Ventura was identified as Pope’s source of the supply for the fake pills (fentanyl) and identified a home in th…
Police & Fire
Ex-Berks County Councilman Sentenced In 2nd Drug Store Robbery Case
An ex-councilman in Berks County who is already in prison, will face additional time behind bars after being sentenced for his involvement in a second drug store robbery. Kirk Mullen, 37, was sentenced to six to 20 years in state prison on Monday following his conviction of robbery and attempted delivery of a controlled substance, specifically opioids, according to the Berks County District Attorney's Office. The former West Reading councilman was arrested in Sept. 2020 after he taped a threatening note to the front door of The Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy in Shillington, DA John T. Adams said.…
Police & Fire
Hit-Run Drivers Charged In Crash That Killed 67-Year-Old Berks Man Walking Dog
Two of the three drivers involved in a hit-and-run crash that killed a 67-year-old Berks County man last month have been charged, authorities said. The month-long investigation led to the arrest of Todd Frey, 55, of Manchester (York County), on charges including accidents involving death or personal injury and careless driving, Berks County District Attorney John T. Adams and South Heidelberg Township Police Chief Leon Grim said a joint press conference Wednesday afternoon. Frey was driving his employer's box truck on Aug. 26 when he hit Robert L. "Lynn" Hatt and his dog, Scout as they…
Police & Fire
DA: PA Woman Acted In Self-Defense In Stabbing Death Of Lover In Berks County
A Pennsylvania woman will not face any criminal charges for fatally stabbing her lover last year in Berks County as her actions were those of self-defense, authorities said. The woman, solely identified as the paramour of Terance M. Myers Sr., "was reasonable in her belief that she was in imminent danger of death or serious bodily injury due to Myers’ actions of advancing and lunging towards her with a knife," Berks County District Attorney John T. Adams said. Officers responding to a home in the 4300 block of Hillside Road in Exeter Township on Dec. 14, 2020, found 35-year-o…
Police & Fire
Undercover
Bust
: Berks Man With Gun Sold Heroin, Fentanyl To Disguised Officers, DA Says
A Berks County man was arrested for dealing heroin and fentanyl after selling the drugs to undercover officers, authorities said Friday. Diego Rosario Plasencia, 23, of Reading, was arrested on May 14 following a nearly 6-month investigation, Berks County District Attorney John T. Adams said. An investigation was launched in November 2020 after authorities were tipped off to Plasencia dealing heroin, fentanyl and other drugs within Reading, Adams said. After Plasencia sold the drugs to undercover detectives, a search warrant was executed May 14 at his North 9th Street home, the DA said. T…
Police & Fire
Berks DA: Officer Justified In Deadly Police Shooting Of 62-Year-Old Muhlenberg Twp. Man
A nearly month-long investigation determined that a Muhlenberg Township police officer was justified in their use of force in a shooting that left a 62-year-old man dead, authorities announced. Police were called to Steven Hughes' house around 2:15 p.m. on March 15 when his niece reportedly called 911. Arriving officers found Hughes locked inside of a second-floor bedroom in his Wagon Wheel Lane home. After gaining entry into the room, police told Hughes to drop the knife, but refused, prompting an officer to tase him, the Berks County District Attorney's office said. When that didn't work…
Police & Fire
Deadly Police Shooting Of 'Emotional, Confused' Man Battling Cancer Was Unjust, Daughter Says
It wasn't brain or lung cancer that killed a 62-year-old Berks County man battling both. Rather, a police shooting on Monday that his daughter is calling a tragic and unjust misunderstanding that could have been avoided and handled differently. Steven Hughes of Muhlenberg Township was diagnosed with lung and brain cancer early last year and has been undergoing chemotherapy treatment for both ever since. The treatment often leaves him confused -- according to his daughter, Anjie Leigh Hughes, of Montgomery County -- which was exactly the case Monday afternoon, when he reporte…
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